Purell
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Purell is an instant hand sanitizer made of ethyl alcohol which claims to kill "99.99% of most common germs that may cause illness in as little as 15 seconds." Its active ingredient is ethanol (62% w/w). It is used by wetting one's hands thoroughly with the product, then briskly rubbing one's hands together until dry.
In 2006, the New York Times reported that Purell is heavily used by politicians during election season, when they have to shake countless hands and remain in robust health.[1]
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[edit] Ownership and distribution
Pfizer acquired the exclusive rights to distribute Purell in the consumer market from Gojo Industries in 2004[2], and on June 26, 2006, Johnson & Johnson announced its acquisition of the Pfizer Consumer Healthcare division, which includes the Purell brand.[3]
[edit] Health risks
The Chicago Tribune reported that children have become inebriated by ingesting Purell. One child's ingestion of the hand sanitizer caused her blood alcohol level to reach 0.218; Purell contains 62% ethyl alcohol, while other hand sanitizers contain isopropanol which would likely have been fatal in the same dose.[4][5] The product packaging recommends that the product be "kept out of the reach of children".[6]
The product is flammable and may discolor fabrics. Besides ethyl alcohol it contains water, isopropyl alcohol, glycerin, carbomer, fragrance, aminomethyl propanol, propylene glycol, isopropyl myristate, and tocopheryl acetate.
[edit] References
- ^ Leibovich, Mark (October 28, 2006). "In Clean Politics, Flesh Is Pressed, Then Sanitized". New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/2006/10/28/us/politics/28dirty.html?ex=1319688000&en=30d648ac13ab4a4e&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss.
- ^ Pfizer (October 4, 2004). Prizer to Acquire PURELL(R) from GOJO; Alliance with GOJO and QualPak will Drive Global Expansion of Brand. Press release. http://www.pfizer.ca/english/newsroom/press%20releases/default.asp?s=1&year=2004&releaseID=132.
- ^ Garvin, Jennifer (June 26, 2006). "Johnson & Johnson acquires Pfizer Consumer Healthcare". American Dental Association. http://www.flouridation.com/prof/resources/pubs/adanews/adanewsarticle.asp?articleid=1986.
- ^ "Getting drunk off hand sanitizers". Chicago Tribune. May 22, 2007. http://featuresblogs.chicagotribune.com/features_julieshealthclub/2007/05/getting_drunk_o.html.
- ^ "Hand Sanitizer Alcohol Poisoning". snopes.com. February 24, 2009. http://www.snopes.com/medical/toxins/sanitizer.asp. Retrieved on March 18, 2009.
- ^ "Purell Hand Sanitizer". Cosmetic Safety Reviews. Cosmetic Safety Database. http://www.cosmeticsdatabase.com/product.php?prod_id=15858&refurl=/browse.php?maincat=skincare&¬hanks=1. Retrieved on March 18, 2009.
